Blog Post 2: History of the Internet

I found this video very interesting in how the Internet evolved as a means of communication because that is what people used it for. I got a kick out of Zuckerman’s joke that the guys at BBN are the actual inventors of the Internet, not Al Gore. I really enjoy hearing Ethan Zuckerman speak because he is so knowledgeable about the Internet and is a strong advocate for net neutrality.

It is fascinating to me, and not at all shocking, that the Internet as we know it today exists because of technologies developed during the arms race between the United States and the U.S.S.R. Since the launch of the Sputnik satellite by the Russians, new advancements in technology appear to be a bi-annual occurrence spearheading in the Internet we use and rely on today.

It seems like a lifetime ago that I was waiting for my dialup modem to connect to AOL so I could AIM (instant message) all my friends on the Internet. I also remember the excitement of downloading any CD my heart desired on Napster without fear of punishment, until Lars Ulrich and Metallica put an end to that. Now we have iTunes Store though and can legitimately purchase all our entertainment needs at the touch of a button. I can’t wait to see what the next decade has in store for the Internet.

Seeing the First Website really shows me how far we have come in a short time from having what is now basic HTML code with simple text and hyperlinks as main features of the website, to now having intricate designs, graphics, and functions on our websites today.

What a fascinating way to deliver a timeline! Stunning visuals, interactive links, and a very simple yet elegant design is a fitting example way to deliver the evolution of the Web in a way that maximizes its current capabilities.

Search engines are incredibly powerful tools to find what we’re looking for in a flash. “Spiders” get sent out all across the internet to pick and choose bits of data that apply to our search topics and then gather them in an orderly fashion so we can narrow down our search from a much more customized list of options instead of spending valuable time aimlessly searching for information on the net.

Google is a truly amazing company in the media/technology world. Arguably the most popular search engine on the web, I’m glad to now know some of the shortcuts and techniques provided by Google to find exactly what I’m looking for. It is also handy in that it can function as a dictionary, calculator, concierge, and much more.

Twitter:

I decided to follow KUTX Austin on Twitter because I hope to land an internship with them this Summer and following them will keep me posted on events I can get involved with at KUTX. I also followed Blizzard Entertainment because they have a headquarters in my hometown of Austin, TX where they produce video games. I am interested in the production side of the video game world and would be interested in working for them after college. Lastly, I followed an Austin company called Set.fm (or DejaSet) which is a really cool startup company that records live music shows in cooperation with local bands around Austin, then mixes them and posts a downloadable digital mp3 of the live show. This allows fans to attend a concert of a band they like, then buy a copy of that exact show 24 hours later to put have on iTunes as a live CD. I am considering applying for an internship with Set.fm as well. Pretty cool stuff.